It is not enough to have only a website and a Facebook page for any type of organization — business, church, etc. I know many who avoid Facebook for one reason or another, and each of these people have good reason. However, social media outlets are great way to help amplify one’s message. WordPress, Drupal, and other CMS type applications have transformed the way websites are developed and managed, and for the foreseeable future, CMS systems are only going to grow in popularity because they make it very easy and affordable or the common person or organization to have a web-presence. These systems are going to put pressure of developers to start evolve beyond writing system code. Developers, webmasters, content providers should to work together to construct messages that will resonate further than just the organization’s website.

Defining one’s message is tough enough and mistakes will ripple across all the news outlets and social media outlets quickly. Avoiding social media is not an option in today’s market, either. Much of the website to Social Media is new to me, and I am slowly learning what works and don’t work. One of the sites I manage is Lincoln Park CERT (http://www.lpcert.org). As it stands currently, Lincoln Park CERT has Facebook page, Google+ Page, Pinterest Account, and a Twitter account along with the website and WordPress powers the website. WordPress automatically sends new post to Facebook and Twitter, and soon I will have the site configured so new post go to Google+ and Pinterest.

Analytics are important and I have enlisted Google Analytics so I can see how effective CERT’s message is getting out. I have also started using Google’s URL shorter because it keeps track of how many clicks each URL receives. It is currently helping me track the number of click-thrus I am receive off my posts on social media.

A great website, social media, and analytics doesn’t replace the need for well-formed messages that appeals to your targeted audience. What good would these tools is if no one understood your message or they were tired of hearing the same message repeatedly? The Age Old mantra: “Content is King!” still hold true on the internet. Fancy themes and cool graphics can enhance a message, but without a good message, they are worthless.

The challenge I face is creating a message that followers would want to share with their friends and family in order to promote the organizations message of “being prepared” for an emergency or a disaster.